First Class (3)

Wind swept across the arena, and the flags rippled.

Even Qi Yu's robe hem was stirring, snapping in the wind.

The contest for First Class had been arranged on the martial arena.

He walked up step by step and stood firm in the wind.

Smack!

Zhen Tianshuang leaped onto the stage.

Once up there, he looked left and right, putting on an act as he searched for Qi Yu's whereabouts. His crazed appearance and contemptuous posture, combined with his earlier brutality, were enough to make people feel afraid.

In the distant stands, inside the Qi Family's third branch's private room...

Qi Zhao whispered a few instructions to Guan Mingfei. The chief guard of the main branch nodded slightly, then turned and left. He did not mount a horse, but directly employed his movement technique. After his figure rose and fell several times, he vanished into the distance, and no one knew where he had gone.

The others—whether Qi Zhao, Song Xue, or Qi Yu's mother, Madam Liu—also left the private room and headed toward the arena where the Second Class contest was being held...

Looking down from above, one could see the crowd in the schoolyard streaming toward the arena from all directions.

Everyone wore a different expression.

Madam Liu's face was flushed with excitement. Supported by Green Bamboo, the maid who had just secured a Martial Scholar ranking, she hurried forward, while Qing Dai followed closely on the other side.

All their gazes were fixed tightly on that distant figure, filled with worry.

Qing Dai said, "Madam, Young Master will be fine."

"Where is he? Where is he? Why can't I see him?"

Zhen Tianshuang was still searching for Qi Yu on the ground.

The clerk shouted, "Take your positions."

Only then did Zhen Tianshuang straighten. He tilted his head at Qi Yu and grinned, revealing a row of sinister teeth.

Qi Yu looked at the youth opposite him. He remembered Huo Wenwen's warning—he would be unable to verbally admit defeat, and would therefore be beaten like a sandbag; his body would be beyond his control, so he would fall again and again, then rise again and again.

However, the only thing that could control the body was strength.

In the end, it still came down to a contest of strength.

As long as the strength within him surpassed his opponent's, no matter how ingenious the opponent's methods were, they would be broken through.

If he could not see the opponent's combat power, he would not have dared to act rashly.

But now, he was certain that his strength was superior.

Besides that, his opponent's martial ability was nothing special, so there were not many variables in his fighting style.

Qi Yu quietly clenched both fists. Black rapidly covered his knuckles, as though he had put on a pair of black gloves.

The forces throughout his body, like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, surged toward his fists.

Clang~~

The gong rang. The contest for First Class began its final battle.

"Are you ready to ambush me?" Zhen Tianshuang asked innocently, his eyes bloodthirsty.

Qi Yu slowly raised his right fist and announced, "Watch closely. This fist is going to hit the left side of your face. Would that count as an ambush?"

Zhen Tianshuang laughed so hard he rocked back and forth. "Do you take me for a fool? You say you'll hit my left cheek, and I should believe you?"

His tone shifted, and he beckoned impatiently. "But... whatever! Hurry up, hurry up and come over!"

As he spoke, he did not even assume a proper boxing stance. He merely bent his body slightly and waved both hands forward in a frivolous manner.

If it had been someone else, they might have thought his strength unfathomable, his casual movements carrying effortless mastery.

But the lower limit of "20" combat power had betrayed him.

He was not unfathomable.

He was simply poor at martial arts. This was the extent of his ability.

Qi Yu narrowed his eyes. His body moved, and his footwork remained Spirit Serpent Skill—Serpent Probing the Path, but beyond the standard form, it carried an added, elusive spirit.

After a series of fierce battles, he had faintly touched upon the path of integrating Hunyuan Contending Force into the Spirit Serpent Skill.

The people below watched...

Many remembered that in Zhen Tianshuang's previous fights, he had always begun with this same playful posture, allowing others to attack. But after only one exchange, the positions of hunter and prey would instantly reverse.

"Come over!"

"Come on!"

Zhen Tianshuang called out teasingly.

Whoosh!

Qi Yu moved.

The smile vanished from Zhen Tianshuang's face. He noticed that his opponent appeared to be throwing a right punch, but in reality, his left fist was gathering power.

The corner of his mouth lifted.

A feint to the east and attack from the west?

The thought flashed through his mind...

Zhen Tianshuang moved. His five fingers hung loosely, then abruptly shifted as he slapped toward the left side of the charging opponent.

Hiss...

White vapor.

The white vapor that had originally coiled around both fists suddenly vanished from the left, leaving only the right.

In the midst of his charge, Qi Yu twisted violently. His right arm, which had seemed to probe forward falsely, suddenly erupted like a dormant serpent! Blood-qi surged. His fist tore through the air, producing a breathtaking thrust like a long spear driving straight ahead.

He extended his arm to the utmost, drawing the distance between his body and fist out to its limit.

That way, the only thing Zhen Tianshuang could touch was the fist into which Qi Yu had gathered all the strength in his body—the fist that represented his strongest combat power of "63.5"!

No matter how fancy your tricks...

Combat power did not lie.

This point.

This fist... was above yours.

No matter what methods you used, you could not possibly be stronger than this fist of mine.

This fist was open and aboveboard.

Zhen Tianshuang's pupils contracted. In his haste, the palm reaching toward the left hurriedly shifted to block the right. The move had no technique at all, neither channeling force nor storing momentum. It was like a street thug wildly swinging his hand wherever he pleased.

Time seemed to slow.

Qi Yu's fist touched the palm coming toward him.

The expected head-on collision did not happen. He felt as though he had struck a sticky, invisible web.

The "web" exploded the moment he touched it, transforming into countless threads that burrowed straight into the depths of his body!

He had felt this sensation before!

Golden Wind Jade Dew Pavilion!

When the girl called Xiao Zhi had danced with him, she had once made him relax.

At that time, he had felt himself being drawn along by a force, dancing like a puppet on strings as its master guided it lightly. But this time... the pulling force transmitted from the opposite side was more than ten times stronger! The threads carried an overbearing desire for control, madly boring inward as they tried to turn him into a marionette!

Hardness used the body to generate force.

Softness used force to move the body.

The countless threads pouring into his body were the purest form of soft force.

They tried to draw along his sinews and bones, twist his posture, and toy with him like a puppet in the palm of their hand.

However, Qi Yu's fist was Hunyuan Contending Force—the extreme-hard fist that condensed the strength of his entire body.

The momentum of his fist had already formed, surging forward without restraint like a flood, like a tsunami.

Those soft threads... could not draw it away!

No, they were not completely ineffective.

At the instant their forces clashed, Qi Yu clearly felt that the soft force was not destroying anything, but "guiding" the trajectory of his body's movement.

A thought flashed like lightning...

If he could use this soft force to guide his body of its own accord, rather than be controlled by another—to let his own spirit take command and his own body become the puppet—then... would his movement technique and attacks not rise to another level?

Countless thoughts flashed past...

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

Qi Yu's fierce fist was stopped in midair, while Zhen Tianshuang also held him motionless.

Just as the discussion below was about to erupt, it was cut off by a thunderous explosion.

Boom!!!

Zhen Tianshuang was sent flying. He rolled across the ground several times. The teasing, bloodthirsty look had vanished from his face, replaced by shock and a trace of fear.

"You..."

"You cheated!"

"Don't come over! Don't come any closer!"

Before he came, someone had sworn to him that no one below Eighth Rank could withstand this move.

But now, he had been knocked down?

How was that possible?

Yet the opponent he had encountered was Qi Yu—a man who had abandoned every feint, condensed all his strength into a single point, and attacked with the purest, most upright hard fist.

This fighting style was too simple and too direct.

And Zhen Tianshuang's martial talent was inherently poor. He possessed strength, but could not see through Qi Yu's method at all.

Qi Yu continued forward.

Zhen Tianshuang hurriedly scrambled to his feet.

Bang!

Another punch.

Zhen Tianshuang was sent flying again. He rolled across the ground, then climbed up once more, breathing heavily in terror.

Once...

Twice...

Three times...

Zhen Tianshuang felt both arms growing increasingly numb.

His temperament had never been strong to begin with. He stared at the opponent in fear, and he was no longer so eager to circulate his strength.

Tap...

Tap-tap-tap...

Qi Yu suddenly charged like a wild horse gone mad.

His arm stretched to the utmost.

His fist transformed into a spear, a long dragon.

Zhen Tianshuang opened his mouth wide, trying to shout, "I concede."

But the fist had already slammed into the left side of his face.

Pfft!

His cheek distorted, his head twisted with a series of cracks, and blood mixed with broken teeth sprayed out as his entire body was lifted off the ground.

Qi Yu raised his head and watched the airborne figure, calmly announcing where it would land next: "The next punch will hit your chest."

His fist clenched, white vapor surged, and his figure moved like thunder.

Boom!!!

Zhen Tianshuang was flung high into the air like a battered, ruined sandbag. The crisp sound of breaking bones reached every ear, signifying that... his opponent had been crippled.

Below the stage, Song Qinghong, Song Xue, and Madam Liu stared blankly, their eyes quietly misting over.

Inside the hall, sandalwood smoke curled through the air. Old Master Qi was resting with his eyes closed, his face filled with indescribable comfort.

Beside him sat a cup that had already been drained of tea.

Floating in the tea had been a flower petal.

It was the Longevity Flower Qi Changshun had given him at the previous annual gathering.

Its effect had unexpectedly been rather good. He truly had no idea where Changshun had gotten it.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps.

The footsteps approached from afar.

Qi Changji entered with steady steps. He came before the desk, bowed slightly, and said in a composed voice, "Father, the servants said Yu'er passed the martial examination. He should have performed rather well."

"Mm..." The old master responded.

Qi Changji continued unhurriedly, "In that case, the main branch and Third Master's branch will probably criticize you even more for having neglected them before, saying that you handle matters unfairly."

"I handle matters unfairly?" The old master suddenly widened his eyes.

Qi Changji said earnestly, "Father, within a lineage, harmony is what matters most. My nephew has performed exceptionally, and as his second uncle, I cannot remain unmoved. How about this... why not give him an opportunity? It would also ease your burden and silence those countless murmurs."

Old Master Qi asked, "What do you have in mind?"

Qi Changji said, "The Poison Water Army is currently short of a Squad Leader. It is a position that is grueling but highly tempering. Have Yu'er come over and serve under me, alongside Feng'er. When the time comes, I will teach him with all my heart and discipline him strictly, forging this fine piece of iron into a good blade."

If he could not suppress him, then he would control him.

As long as he entered the Poison Water Army and Feng'er kept him down, what else could he do?

Old Master Qi pondered for a moment before saying, "You truly understand the bigger picture and can put the whole family first. I will have Changshun come over and discuss it with him."

Elsewhere...

The Qi Family's main branch, study...

"Master, Third Master." Guan Mingfei saluted. He had used his movement technique all the way back from the Provincial Examination grounds at top speed.

"How did the Provincial Examination go?"

Qi Changfu and Qi Changshun had been drinking tea. At this moment, they nervously set down their cups and looked toward the chief guard opposite them.

Guan Mingfei lowered his head and reported, "The Third Young Master ranked Grade A Top in both of the first two rounds. When I left, he had already entered the contest for First Class. His opponent was Zhen Tianshuang. Along the way... he defeated Shi Niu, Zhou Qing, Huo Wenwen, and Lin Wuming."

"Lin Wuming... I've heard of him—the genius of Green Mountain Martial Hall in North City. He even defeated Lin Wuming?" Qi Changfu asked in disbelief.

Guan Mingfei said, "Yes. The Third Young Master took more than ten breaths."

"More than ten breaths..."

As soon as the words fell, the study sank into deathly silence.

Qi Changfu drew a deep breath and said enviously, "Third Brother, your son has really made you proud."

Cold light flickered in his eyes. "Then... since the good news has arrived, let's begin as well."